Paper clip dispenser



June 7, I1960 R. LEVESQUE PAPER CLIE` QISPENSER Filed Jan. z, 1958 INVENTOR. ROGER Levesque BY j ATTORNEY niteci States Patent -29396159711-"x PAPER CLIP'DISPENSER Roger Levesque, 127 Cunningham Av'e.,

Upper Darby, Pa. v

rilea 1an.'zz, -wsa-ser. N0.11o,494

I sfvcliiims..y (cl. 22e-9s) The present invention relates to a paper clip dispenser. There has been a long-felt need for a paper clip dispenser whch would dispense individual paper clips as needed. Atthe present time, paper clips are usually disposed in a random dishcveled condition in a container upon Vthe' users desk. Not only is this varrangement =un sightly, but moreover itis inecient. Thus, the use r must reachinto a mass of randomlydisposed paper clips to select a single paper clip. rllhis frequently results in bendingof the paper clips and impairment of their utility. This invention has as an object theprovision of av paper clip dispenser for selectively dispensing paperclips. This invention has -as another object the provision of a paperclip dispenser in which the user r'nay obtain the desired number of paper clips in rapid sequence, Vin those situations in whichmore than a single paper clip is de` sired.

This invention has as yet another object thefprovision. of a paper clip dispenser which occupies but a relativelyv small area'on the users desk. t

This inventionV has as a still further object theprovision of a paper clip dispenser ofv relatively foolproof construction, ofrelatively long life, and yet whichfmay b e manufactured on a large scale at a relatively low cost per, unit.

This'invention'has as yet another object the provision" l Patented June 7, 1960 ICC L. the cover 24. Cover 24-s generally channel shaped,

of a paper clip dispenser which may be rapidly loaded and which maintains the paper clips inV orderly ldisposition prior to'their delivery to the user.

VThis invention has as still another object the provision..-

of a paper clip dispenser in which the scattering of paper clips about the users desk is avoided. l l Other objects will appear hereinafter. i

For thepurpose of illustrating the invention there is shown inthe drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is vnot limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like parts:

Figure 1 is .a longitudinal sectional view'through thev prises the base 12, which is preferably integrally formedr of molded. plastic.

The yback portion 14 of base 12 is provided with a pair-- 0f spaced integral raised bosses 16 and 18 which receive the respective pins 20 and y22. Pins 20 and 22 are secured within respective bosses 16 and 18. This securement may be achievedby threaded engagement, or by gluing, or by other means. t

The pins 20 and 22 serve as a trunnion and carry and is preferably formed of sheet metal.

extends through the arm 26 of cover 24, and pin .22 ex rl'hus, pin 20 tends through thearm 28` of cover 24. y

The backwall 30 of back portion 14 of base 12 is pro-V vided with a screw 32 which. is threadably received within the back portion 14. The screw 32 carries the leaf spring 34 intermediate thebosses 16 and 18. As seen in Figure 1, the leaf spring 34v is formed from a shaped ribbonof spring Vmetal which is bent about the curved upper surface of back portion l14 intermediate thebosses 16 and 18.y` Leaf spring 34 urgesvthe cover 24 ina clockwise direction about Athe pins 20 and 22. Preferably, the leaf spring 34'is not secured -to the pndersurface of cover 34 but abuts thereagainst.

While spring 34 normally urges the cover 24 in the vabove-indicated'.direction, the strength of spring 34 is.

lessfthan that'required to raise the cover 24 from a disposition in which the Acover'24 is superposed above.

the base 12.

The back portion 14 of base v12 includes the pivot pin- 36, which may be formed from a pair of pins, onto which the paper clip holder 38 s'pivoted.

The paper Vclipholder 38 is preferably integrally for-med from molded plastic, and includes a dependent limit stop arm' z40 which is Vdisposed beneath the pivot pin 36 and which'engages the back portion 14 of base 12 when the carrying arm'42 is disposed horizontally. The carrying arm42 of ypaper clip holder`38 includes the web portion 44* above the limit stop arm '40,such web portion 44 comprising the' bearing surface 'for the pivot'pin 36.

Tines 46 Iand '48 project forwardly from the web portion 44 of carryingarm 42-of paper clip holder 338. As seen4 in Figures 2 land 3 the tine 46 is considerably wider than the tine 48, although the tine'48 is somewhat thicker than the tine 46. This construction enables the tine-s 46 and 48rtoreceive a magazine of Yconventional paper clips,

with the Vrelatively long and'narrow loopl of the paper` clips being received'on'tine 46 and the relatively short but wide loop of the paperflip's being-received on tine 48. A full magazine 50 of paper clips is carried within the-paper clip dispenser 10 lof thepresent invention, al# though 'for' thesake of permitting facile understanding of the structure of the .paperclip dispenser 10,fsuch magazine 50 is broken away in order to reveal the strucl tureof the paper clip dispenser 10.

The magazine 50 may -be made' by aligning a large group of paper clips, with each of the .paper clips being juxtaposed to each other in the identical fashion, and with said paper clips being glued together in the manner in which wire -staples are conventionally glued together I' at the present time.

The middlerportion 52 of base'12 is disposed beneath the paper clipholder 38, preferably as a floor' spaced from the paper cli-p holder 38. The stop 54 projects up- ,wardly from the base 12 intermediate the middle portion 52 and the front portion 56 of base 12. The paper clip holder 38 rests on' the uppermost surface of stop '54, i

which should be planar. Stop 54 should Yhave a height such that the paper clip holder 38 is horizontally disposed when resting on the uppermost surface of the stop 54. f

A sleeve 58 preferablyy yfori'ned of metal embraces the carrying arm l42. Sleeve 58 has asulicientthickness sot-that it functions as a shoulder against which the reari- .wandmost of the paper clips in magazine 50 is contactedfY Sleeve 581s provided Aat the uppermost portions of its sides at its rearwith lugs 60 and 62.

The lugs 60 and.. 62 seat respective coi-l springs 64 and 66. The coil springs A64;and 66 extend downwardly from their rear vtotheir frontend are seated inthe frontportion 5t 5 .v

of base 12. Specifically, the eye of coil sprng`64 is enseparate paper clips in the front portion 56." A magnet t28-is disposed in the floor of the well 78 'for capturing paper `clips which are separated f from theV magazine 50.'

A .guillotine blade 82 formed VfromV angle-shaped "sheet metal i's secured by rivets 84 to the underside of cover 124.'4

A powerful magnet 86 is carried wit-hin a Vslotl in the front portion 56 of'base 12 cross-wise `in respect to said front portion 56.- 'lne distance intermedi-ate the' vface of magnet 86 which is ljuxtaposed to the magazine `50 and the-front face 88 of stop Y54 is dimcnsioned'to be equal to about the thickness of one and one-half paper clips. rlhus, lthe thickness of the guillotine blade 82, is about equal to the thickness of one palper clip, and an additional space dimension over the thickness of one paper clip is provided intermediate the rear face 'of the magnet 86 and the front face 88 of stopI 5 4 to accommodate `for the generally larcuate travel of lthe gpillotine blade 82. It is most ydesirable that the distance between the end faces 89 of the tines 46 and 48 and the adjacentV face of magnet 86 be less than the thickness' of two paper clips so that the tines v46 and' 48 support the paper clip in the magazine 5t) which is behind ,the paper clip which is engaged by the .guillotine bla-de 82, so asy to pre.- vent more chan one paper clip Ifrom becoming disengaged from the magazine 50. Preferably, the length of the tines 46 and 48 should be such as to be coextensive with the front iface 88 of lst-op54, so that the end faces of the tines 46 and 48 extend up to the front face 88 of the stop 5.4, with the` end Ifaces of the tines 461and 48 presenting a continuous surface with the front face l88 when the carrying Varrn 42 is resting on the uppermost surface of stop 54.

The arms 26 and 28 of cover 24 are cut away so that their front wall portions 90V depend for a shorter distance than the remainder of arms 26 and 28. rFire front portion 56 is provided with a plateau 92 which serves as a stop and limits the downward movement of thev cover 24, so that such cover 24 may not beurged downwardly after the `guillotine ibl'ade 82 has completed the separation of the frontmost paper clip vfrom themagazine 50. It is to be noted that as guillotine blade 82 isl centered in cover 2 4 and is provided with a straight Y undermost edge the separating action of the blade stroke is evenly balanced providing for the most satisfactory separation 4of the frontmost paper clip from the magazine S0.

QA variety 1of means' may Ibe used to insure proper guiding of the springs 64 and 66, the form used in the illustrated embodiment comprising the guide passageways 94 land 96 extending through the front portion 56 ofbase A,12 for respectivesprings 66 and 64.

The operation of the paper clip dispenser of t-he present invention is as follows:

In order'to load the paper clip dispenser 10 the cover 24 is pivoted upwandly .about the pins 20 and 22. The clockwise movement of the cover 24 is shown in phantom line in Figure 1.

The paper .clip holder 38 is then Irotated clockwise from its position in which it rests upon the upper planar surface of stop S4 to a position in which it is angular-.ly disposed in respect to the base 12, such clockwise rotation being accomplished against the action of the springs 64 and 66. Simultaneously with the clockwise rotation of thepaiper clip'holider `38, the sleeve 58y is moved rearwardlyvin order to permit the loading of the magazine 50 upon the tines 46 and 48 ofthe carrying arm 42.

4 respect to thebase 12 the springs 64 and 66 do not exert an appreciable forward urging upon the sleeve 58. When the magazine 50 is inserted onto the carrying arm 42, the carrying arm. 42 is pivoted counterclockwise untilit rests upon the planar upper surface of stop 54 (actually the undersurface of the magazine 50 is engaged with the uppermost surface of the stop 54). In this disposition of the paperclip holder 38 the frontmost paper clip of the magazine 50 is juxtaposed to and engaged with Vthe rear face of the magnet 86 and the sleeve 58 urges the magazine 50 towards the magnet 86 since the coil springs 64 and 66 urge the sleeve 58v in that direction.

Cover 24 is the-n pivoted counterclockwise to the position shown in yfull 'line in Figure 1, the leaf spring 34 maintaining Vthe cover 24 disposed above the paper clip holder 38.V

lIn order to separate a paper clip from t-he magazine 50,'t-he user pushes the ifront portion of the cover 24 downwardly in the ydirection of the `arrow to the left ofYFigure 1. underside of the cover 24 separates the frontmost paper clip from the magazine 50, with the downward movement of such front-most paper clip being guided along theV rear face of magnet 86 so that a smooth discharge of the paper Vclip is achieved. 'Ilhe yguillotine blade 82j is preferably formed of a non-magnetic metal so that the magnetv 86 `does vnot affect the movement of the guillotine blade 82.'

will urge the cover 24 to the position shown in Figure 1 irlV full line a-fter the yseparation of each paper clip, and the sleeve 58 will continuously urge the magazine 50 towards magnet V86.

The present invention may beembodied in other speciti-c forms without departing ifrom theV spirit or essen- I,

tial attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the forei l going specification as indicating the scope yof the invention.

I claim:

`1.` A paper clip dispenser for selectively dispensing paper clips from a glued magazine of paper clips which includes a base,` a paper clip'` holder pivotally mounted upon said base for carrying the magazine of paper clips,

said paper clip holder Vincluding a pair of tines which eX- tend through the loops in the paper clips of the paperclip magazine, the front end of said paper clip holder being free, means for spring urging said magazine -along said paper clip holder towards the front of said base, a stop spacedfrorn and juxtaposed to the front free end of-said I paper clip holder, a guillotine blade movably mounted above said paper clip holder, with said guillotine `blade being movable through the space intermediate the front free end of said paperclip holder and said' stop', and a well beneath the front end `of sai-d paper clip'holder and said stopfor receiving selectively separated paper clips yfrom said magazine.

2, A paper clip dispenser in accordance with claim 1 -in which the front free end of the paper clip. holder is spaced from `the stop by ya distance equal ,tomore than the thickness of one paper clip and less-than the thickness o f two paper clips.

3. A paper clip dispenser in accordance with lclaim l in which the underside'of the guillotine blade comprises a 'straightV horizontal edge, and which the thickness of the guillotineblade is about equal to the thickness of a f single paper clip.

The guillotine blade 82 carriedl on the' y of a cover which is superposed t the paper clip holder and which cover is pivotably secured to the base at the rear portion thereof. v

5. A paper clip dispenser ink accordance with claim 4 including spring means secured to said base and engaged with the underside of said cover for spring urging said cover in a direction opposite to the direction which said cover assumes when said guillotine blade moves from a position above said paper clip holder through the space intermediate ythe front free end of said paper clip holder and said stop.

6. A paper clip dispenser in accordance with claim l in which the stop spaced from the front lfree end of the paper clip' holder comprises a magnet.

7. A paper clip dispenser in accordance with claim l including a support stop which projects upwardly from in which the front wall of the support stop is disposedv beneath the front free end of the paper clip holder as an extension thereof. l

9. A paper clip dispenser in accordance with claim l having a magnet disposed in the oor of said fwell.

' References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,073,819 Vogel Mar. 16, 1937 2,272,773 Maynard a Feb. 10, 1942 2,632,889 Beecroft Mar. 31, 1953 

